The White Towers

[Hasoroth]

Summary:
 

The White Towers, a 23rd founding Chapter, conduct anti-piracy operations in a small sub-sector of space named Hyrcania. All goes well until the Great Rift splits open the galaxy and the High Towers find themselves nearly annihilated. They survive, receive Primaris technology, and continue to do what they've always done.

 

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“-for seven years and seven nights the forces of the Arch-Enemy assailed the Imperium’s defenders. Yet, for all their daemon-wrought magiks and iron-skinned war machines, the traitors would break themselves again and again against the pure walls of the Arx Katharoi, the ‘White Tower’.” – The Apocrypha of Zandracarta, M42

 

Origins

 

There are two tales of the White Towers birth.

 

The first tale begins in the late 37th millennium, as a newfound Chapter of Astartes begin to ply the space lanes of the Hyrcanian sub-sector – performing interdiction campaigns against local star-pirates from the bridge of their flagship and fortress monastery the Arx Katharoi.

 

The second tale begins in the early 42nd millennium, as a dying Chapter of Astartes, beset on all sides by a seething tide of daemons and traitors, prepared to make their last stand amidst the bones of their beached flagship and fortress monastery the Arx Katharoi.

 

Both stories are true.

 

The Sentinel Founding

 

By the latter half of the 37th millennium the High Lords of Terra had given their permission for a 23rd founding of the Adeptus Astartes. Dubbed the ‘Sentinel’ founding, these Chapters were envisioned as a force of perpetual crusaders who would turn back the tide of night and retake the lost realms of man.

 

Descendants of the Primarch Guilliman, the White Towers were founded around a core of Ultramarine veterans led by the Chapter’s first master, Captain Alexander of the Ultramarines 2nd Company.

 

Gifted the battle barge Arx Katharoi (from which the Chapter took their name) and given a mandate to protect the Hyrcanian sub-sector from the pirates that plagued it the fledgling Chapter began their crusade.

 

Hyrcania

 

According to the most reliable histories of the region, the Hyrcanian sub-system was simultaneously discovered in the dawn of the Imperium by the expeditionary forces of the VIth Legion “Space Wolves” and the XVIth Legion “Luna Wolves” within the depths of the Segmentum Obsurus.

Sardonically named Hyrcania (a divergent High Gothic phrase for ‘Realm of Wolves’) for the circumstances of its discovery, the Hyrcanian sub-system was regarded as fertile if otherwise unremarkable territory and swiftly settled by Imperial colonizer fleets.

 

Comprised of a half dozen star systems, the Realm of Wolves proved a relatively amenable and prosperous territory utterly at odds with its namesake, and within centuries the sub-system had attained a degree of strategic prominence as the port of last call for Imperial deep-void explorers.

The peace of Hyrcania would not last however, and like the rest of the galaxy it too would be burned by the fires of Horus’ ambition.

 

The Horus Heresy

 

When the VIth Legion and the XVIth Legion met again in the Hyrcanian sub-system it would not be as brothers but as mortal enemies. The renamed Sons of Horus were the first to enter the region in force and demanded the surrender of the Imperial defenders led by Lieutenant Governor Kushim.

 

Refusing the traitor’s demands Kushim sent out a message begging for aid before digging in before the storm. Yet Hyrcania’s call to arms would not go unheeded, and a fleet of Space Wolves arrived within months to contest the might of the Sons of Horus.

 

The details of the battles that followed are scarce but their effects can be seen clearly by even the most casual observer. By the end of the Heresy Hyrcania had been reduced to a realm of bones, and its reputation for quiet prosperity was replaced by tales of ghost haunted space hulks and violent pirates preying upon what remained of the region’s population.

 

Raising the White Tower

 

While the Hyrcanian sub-sector had recovered in part by the 37th millennium, naval strategists in Cypra Mundi considered the area a substantial factor in the resilience of the Segmentum’s pirates. The sparsely populated sub-sector offered any number of heretics, recidivists, corsairs, and other scum shelter amongst it’s bombed out ruins, unclaimed space hulks, and deep-void debris fields.

 

Worse, elements of the Black Legion had been spotted with increasing regularity though none could guess their purpose.

 

Armed with urgent need, the admiralty of the region impressed the High Lords of Terra sufficiently to grant them their request, and so the White Towers were dispatched to the region to enforce the Pax Imperator.

 

The Seven Towers

 

The White Tower’s wasted little time upon their arrival. Although they numbered only four anemic companies at the time the Chapter immediately began to pursue the sub-sector’s pirates, taking great care to remove their presence root-and-stem.

 

In the annals of the Chapter itself there are no conclusive reports on just how many pirate fleets were routed, or how many heretical asteroid-forts eradicated. What is known is that the Chapter first began to grow with these victories, trading a fortune of repatriated Imperial vessels and sailors to the shipyards of Cypra Mundi and Port Maw in return for men and materiel.

 

By the end of the 38th millennium the White Towers stood as a force to be reckoned with. Where once they had numbered less than three hundred Astartes aboard a single ship, the Chapter now numbered a full thousand – and the Arx Katharoi  found herself attended by a half dozen sister ships, including a vaunted Victory-class battleship gifted to the Chapter by Segmentum naval command.

 

This battlefleet, informally known as the ‘Seven Towers’, returned a degree of peace to the Hyrcanian sub-sector and would form the core of her defense in the dark times to follow.

 

[Hasoroth]

To Do List:

 

Chapter Organization

 

I'm seeing the Chapter as a fairly independent body. Post-Great Rift, the surviving ships of the Seven Towers each hold a company, while the crashed remains of the Arx Katharoi have been built into a proper fortress monastery that houses the reserve, HQ, and training components.

 

I don't see any big changes to be made to the Librarius, or the Chaplaincy. Tech-Marines are probably hard to come by since the passage to Mars is so difficult, so I think I'll make a tech-caste of some sort trained by the original Master of the Forge. There colors will be partially red as a symbol to acknowledge that they haven't actually been to Mars for the proper accreditation. 

 

As a naval Chapter I'm thinking about some title changes to better reflect their background but haven't landed on anything yet.

 

Additionally, I had a daydream about how the ships of the Chapter are crewed and captained and my idea was that the Chapter took in the various bastards, second sons, exiles, and other such unwanted noble borns from the naval aristocracy of Cypra Mundi and Port Maw (Hyrcania is situated relatively close to both) to captain the Chapter's ships. This helps to reinforce ties of loyalty between the Astartes and the Imperial Navy. 50/50 on whether the orphaned boys would go through Astartes training/implantation, or have some sort of situation where female children would rise to be captains while male children would rise to be Astartes.

 

Chapter Tactics

 

Fairly standard "we're good at fighting with ships, in ships" Chapter. Won't need to do much work here. One thing I want to stress is that the Chapter is remarkably utilitarian.

 

Chapter Culture

 

I already mentioned utilitarian. These aren't the guys fighting solo one-on-one duels with enemy champions, they'll happily nuke you from orbit if that'll solve the problem. I want to convey the idea of these guys being a B-tier Chapter. They aren't soloing Hive Fleets, they guard a moderately dangerous area of space from pirates (but the job just got harder).

 

Primaris

 

They got no problem with them. Chapter is majority Primaris now, first generation brothers are encouraged to undergo the Calgarian Rites. Ascended first generation Brothers are indicated by a Templar's Cross (and generally speaking will also be modeled with an apropriate MkII-Mk8 helmet).

 

Notable Events

 

I've got a few I want to write about. 1) The Fall of the Arx Katharoi, where the White Towers make a last stand against the Black Legion amidst the ruins of their crashed flagship. 2) How the White Towers got their hands on a Vengeance-class battleship in the first place, and why Naval command would let them keep it, and 3) a mildy famous battle that exemplies the White Towers way of war.

 

Chapter Relics

 

As a relatively young, not particularly famous Chapter they don't really have any. Won't stop me from taking relics on the tabletop. If I do write about relics they won't be swords, it'll probably be stuff like ancient targeting cogitators for an experimental warship that they looted.

 

Chapter Heraldry

 

Light grey. Dark Gold. Company heraldry depicts which ship (and therefore which company) they hail from. I'll upload pictures.

 

Notable Members

 

Current Chapter Master, a Primaris.

Commander of their last stand. 

Etc etc (haven't really gotten that far ahead)

 

The Seven Towers

Gotta come up with names. I was thinking for names either I would name all the ships Arx XYZ (i.e. Tower XYZ) and give them a different theme (i.e. Arx Umbra, the Shadow Tower) or I would name them without a broad theme and just have the fleet colloquially refered to as the Seven Towers.

 

Naming Convention

 

I basically translate cool words into Greek and/or Latin and go with take the best sounding and most liberal translation. Arx Katharoi isn't even one language, Arx is roughly Latin for fortress/castle/tower while Katharoi means Pure Ones in Greek. Roughly translated into White Towers. 

 

Probably gonna keep to a greco-roman theme for character names.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

What do the Chapter's members call themselves? "Guardian of the White Towers"? "Towerman"?

Chapter Relics

 

As a relatively young, not particularly famous Chapter they don't really have any.

The Chapter has been in existence for four-five millennia. That should be enough time to acquire some relics- or for legends to form around certain items, transforming what were once regular arms and armor into relics. Maybe convert the Arx Katharoi's steering wheel into a storm shield, or its anchor into a thunder hammer?

The Seven Towers

 

Gotta come up with names.

How about naming them after the Seven Virtues (Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, Humility) or the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Emperor)?

[apologist]

Very promising stuff – looking forward to a figure or two. :)

 

With regards to names for the Towers, if you're going for a Romano-Greek theme, how about the seven hills of Rome? Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Caelian, Esquiline, and Aventine. 

 

Clearly on theme, and subtle enough to be a nice Easter egg.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

With regards to names for the Towers, if you're going for a Romano-Greek theme, how about the seven hills of Rome? Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Caelian, Esquiline, and Aventine.

Great idea!

[Hasoroth]

1)What do the Chapter's members call themselves? "Guardian of the White Towers"? "Towerman"?

 

2) The Chapter has been in existence for four-five millennia. That should be enough time to acquire some relics- or for legends to form around certain items, transforming what were once regular arms and armor into relics. Maybe convert the Arx Katharoi's steering wheel into a storm shield, or its anchor into a thunder hammer?

3) How about naming them after the Seven Virtues (Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, Humility) or the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Emperor)?

 

 

1) Their full name (I really love the idea of Chapters having a common name versus a formal name i.e. Space Sharks versus Carcharadons Astra) would the Arx Katharoi Vigilans, the Watchers of the White Tower. But the lay folk will refer to them as the White Towers due to their Chapter badge, as well as the fact that each individual Astartes wears pale armor and is quite tall. 

 

I don't want to harp on the Tower theme too much, for now Battle-Brothers will refer to each other as Brother. The Chapter will have a fair degree of Codex-deviance, but that's just to reflect their Naval nature, not to mention the self-sufficiency of a single Chapter deployed to the galaxy's edge.

 

2) I've been thinking about relics and the Chapter's secular, utilitarian nature and how I'd meld the two. I do like the idea that while other Chapters might boast about wielding Sanguinius' third-favorite steak knife, the White Towers would be chuffed to have a salvaged set of macrocannons from some noble Imperial wreck that load 1.5% faster than average or something like that. Any relic wargear will probably be relegated to ceremonial duties unless it outperformed modern variants of the same gear (which given 40ks setting is likely to be true).

 

3) I love those name suggestions, and will be using a mixture of them along with Apologist's suggestions for the ships.

 

Very promising stuff – looking forward to a figure or two.

 

With regards to names for the Towers, if you're going for a Romano-Greek theme, how about the seven hills of Rome? Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Caelian, Esquiline, and Aventine. 

 

Clearly on theme, and subtle enough to be a nice Easter egg.

 

I love those names and will be using them along Bjorn Firewalker's suggestions for the ships.

[Commissar Molotov]

Awesome to see you back at it, Hasoroth - a long time since the Subjugators and the Devil Dogs!

 

Looking forward to seeing these guys take shape.

[Hasoroth]

Right back at you Mol, I actually have you to thank for coming back here - I randomly came across the Castigators shoulder pads on Shapeways and was reminded of the Liber. Oddly enough, I don't even remember the Devil Dogs, but I do remember my Subjugators (who have long since been sold off on ebay).

 

Edit:

Also, some WIP pictures for anyone interested. That model for the Captain has, in some form or another, been a practice paint model for years. The Primaris body is new, but the powerfirst, helmet, backpack, and assorted gubbinz have been painted and repainted in some form ever since I bought the Black Templars upgrade sprue when it first came out.

 

[Messor]

This is a really fun, clever concept. I definitely expected something, well, whiter, for their armor, but the scheme you have pictures is quite eye catching. I'm most interested to learn more about their great battle following the appearance of the Rift.

[Hasoroth]

This is a really fun, clever concept. I definitely expected something, well, whiter, for their armor, but the scheme you have pictures is quite eye catching. I'm most interested to learn more about their great battle following the appearance of the Rift.

 

Thank you, I have to say this is the most fun I've had with a Chapter in a while. The armor will get whiter, I'm practicing white highlights. It's also worth noting that the intercessors are all test models, the core of the army will be infiltrators. 

[Hasoroth]

The Seven Towers

 

Arx Katharoi  - Battle Barge, (former) Flagship, Fortress Monastery

Also known as the namesake of the White Towers, the bleached bones of this venerable warship have formed the core of the Chapter's new fortress monastery. Home of the 1st Company, and the Cadet Companies 

 

Obliteratum Per Astraimpes  - (current) Flagship, Victory-class Battleship

Also known as the Purity Through Starfire. Salvage rights to the ship were gifted to the Chapter by Lord Admiral "Fireball" Balle in recognition of their crucial assault upon the pirate fortress of Krarokosa. Home of the 2nd Company.

 

Hyrcanaevum  - Strike Cruiser

Also known as the Hour of Wolves. After the fall of the Arx Katharoi the Hyrcanaevum is the oldest ship in the Chapter's fleet. Renowned for its duel against the Inheritance of Scorn, a Black Legion Desecrator-class battleship. Home of the 3rd Company.

 

Sarissa Ex Argent - Strike Cruiser

Also known as the Spear from Silver. The first Strike Cruiser created in system by the Forgeworld of Mazandaran in M38. Considered a symbol of good fortune by sailors in the sub-sector, the Spear from Silver defends the pilgrim routes of Saint Occitan. Home of the 4th Company.

 

Columna Autem Tempestus - Strike Cruiser

Also known as the Pillar of Storms. The only ship of the Seven Towers mandated to explore beyond the galaxy's edge. Currently attached to the Golden Fleet of Rogue Trader Crizosa. Home of the 5th Company. 

 

Ignistitate - Strike Cruiser

Also known as the Firestarter. While the rest of the Seven Towers look to defend Hyrcania, the Firestarter ranges the breadth of the Segmentum Obscurus. Currently attempting to breach the storms of the Great Rift in an attempt to return home. Home of the 6th Company.

 

Vigilans Est Vindicta - Strike Cruiser

Also known as Vigilance is Vengeance. Was the first ship to respond to the Arx Katharoi's mayday hails, and broke the siege of the White Tower with pinpoint orbital strikes. Home of the 7th Company.

 

Major Planets of the Hyrcanian Sub-Sector

 

Zandracarta

Crash site of the Arx Katharoi and new homeworld of the White Towers. Originally a barren planet hostile to organic life, Zandracarta has been transformed and fortified into a strategic naval anchorage for the Chapter as well as Battlefleet Hyrcania.

 

Theotormon

Colonized by Lord Admiral Classis in M36, Theotormon is a storm wracked Hive planet. The planets nobility act as a cadet branch for the noble houses of Cypra Mundi, with several members ascending to celebrated careers in the Imperial Navy, or more rarely amongst the ranks of the White Towers.

 

Saint Occitan

Final resting place of St.Occitan, patron saint of long voyages and safe travel. A relatively minor figure in wider Ecclesiarchal canon, for understandable reasons the saint is revered far more fervently in the sub-sector. A temperate garden world and favored planet of retirement for more devout members of the Admiralty.

 

Consolamentum

A nightmarish planet plagued by unstable tectonics and volcanic fury. Designated a graveyard world by the Administratum during the dawn of the Imperium, officials of the Hyrcanian sub-system more frequently use the planet as a dumping ground for condemned prisoners, confident that an extended stay on Consolamentum is the equivalent of a death sentence. The Forge World of Mazandaran maintains a significant mining presence here.

 

Mazandaran

The Jungle Forge. A fiefdom granted in perpetuity to Mechanicum elements attached to the Space Wolves expeditionary fleet that first discovered Hyrcania. The Mechanicus of Mazandaran are masters of genetic engineering, and proved crucial to the efforts of the White Towers in implementing the Primaris.

 

Von Kushim

Hyrcania’s capital. Named after the mythical lieutenant governor who led the sub-sector in defense during Horus Heresy. The planet's surface is marred by rad-blooms and autophages, scars of the Heresy. Vast underground Hives permeate the bedrock, seeking shelter from the hostile surface.

 

Companies

 

1^st Company, The Mavroskoi “Black Guards” – on board the Arx Katharoi “White Tower”

Chapter Elite. Teachers, leaders, watchers.

Company Colours – Gold Trim.

 

2^nd Company, The Kathari Vindex “Champions of Purity” – on board the Obliteratum Per Astraimpes “Purity Through Starfire”

Chapter Champions. Warriors, murderers, killers.

Company Colours – White Trim.

 

3^rd Company, The Venatores “Hunters” - on board the Hyrcanaevum “Hour Of Wolves”  

Chapter Hunters. Trackers, rangers, scouts.

Company Colours – Black Trim.

 

4^th Company, The Hastati Novus “New Spears”  – on board the Sarissa Ex Argent “Spear from Silver“

Chapter Guardians. Paladins, protectors, knights.

Company Colours – Silver Trim.

 

5^th Company, The Astrum Exerevenoi “Star Striders” – on board the Columna Autem Tempestus “Pillar of Storms “

Chapter Explorers. Adventurers, rogues, privateers.

Company Colors – Bronze Trim

 

6^th Company, The Ianius Rex “Butcher Kings” – on board the Ignistitate “Firestarter “

Chapter Sailors. Marines, voidborne, predators.

Company Colors – Red Trim

 

7^th Company, The Krymenoculi “Hidden Eyes” – on board the Vigilans Est Vindicta “Vigilance Is Vengeance “

Chapter Spies. Spooks, assassins, recon.

Company Colors – Grey Trim

 

 

 

WIP

 

Something I want to do for the White Towers, to really show off what they're like, is write a bit about how they've petitioned the Administratum to reclassify Hyrcania as a sector in its own right in order to receive more manpower and materiel. For the grimdark kick, I'm going to write that the White Towers succeeded in their petition (which took centuries, if not millennia to achieve) just before the Great Rift tore the galaxy apart.

[Hasoroth]

Updating with a Chapter order of battle. The Company that I collect in real life is the 5th Company "Star Striders" who have been having a fairly good time travelling alongside Rogue Trader Crisoza and his Golden Fleet. Ill update this post with some WIP pictures, I've decided to change the color scheme to black with Company appropriate trim. The 'white' of the White Towers will now just be the emblem (because damn I really hate painting white. I painted one apothecary and I have no wish to do another one any time soon).

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Mixing a bit of gray paint with white, will help prevent the latter from yellowing with age. As for the OrBat, I'm assuming it presents the Chapter in the midst of rebuilding after the Arx Katharoi crashed- it's otherwise unusual to have companies with less than 100 Marines.

[Hasoroth]

Mixing a bit of gray paint with white, will help prevent the latter from yellowing with age. As for the OrBat, I'm assuming it presents the Chapter in the midst of rebuilding after the Arx Katharoi crashed- it's otherwise unusual to have companies with less than 100 Marines.

 

Oh it's just the constant layering. I'm actually pretty happy with how the Apothecary turned out, but the boys are in black now and I think they look a lot better. Glowing green eyes + black/dark grey gives off a sort of SOF/Warrior monk vibe.

 

As for the order of battle, that's just a snapshot of how the Chapter is right now not an idealized list.

 

The First Company is small because almost half of it is spread across the other Companies, acting as force multipliers, as well as eyes and ears for the Chapter Master.

The Second Company is relatively small because it's current Captain is a belligerent ass, who's never heard that discretion is the better part of valor.

 

The Third Company is really small because it's currently recovering from their duel against the Inheritance of Scorn. A Strike Cruiser's worth of Marines defeated a Black Legion battleship, but took serious casualties.

 

The Fourth Company is in good shape, it hasn't engaged in any demanding battles recently. For once the space lanes around Saint Occitan are relatively free of raiders.

 

The Fifth Company is in great shape, the voyage with Rogue Trader Crizosa has been relatively quiet. The larger contingent of veterans is there to provide greater oversight since the Fifth spends a lot of time away from HQ.

 

The Sixth Company is in relatively good shape as well but is trying to make it into Imperium Nihilus to return home. Their numbers won't look that good for long.

 

The Seventh Company is also in good shape, but has always maintained smaller numbers due to it's Captains personal strategic plan.

 

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The Chapter Master is more of a general than a warrior. He's the one managing supplies, planning the overarching strategic goals of the sub-sector in cooperation with what's left of the Navy and the Administratum. He's a politician first. He'll also have a house guard of some sort.

 

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Part of the casualties is that the entire Chapter undertook the Calgarian Rites (in phases, not all at once). Uplited Astartes are recognized on the tabletop by having old style helmets. They make up the majority of the senior officer class. Junior officers are Lieutenants, Sergeants, and Corporals. 

[jbaeza94]

i really like the concept of the white towers. i like the idea of  the official name, and the common name.

 

my suggestion on the relics:

like you mentioned, ceremonial, and old. most relics dont start off as legendary, and id be willing to bet its often the wielders feats that get attributed the the weapon's legend. for example, the Spear of Liamane (DIY weapon). Its just a typical power spear, a bit ornate, but its the power spear of the chapter master, who are typically highly skilled in combat. their legend becomes the weapons legend too. there are exceptions, like the Monster Slayer of Caliban, which flickers with energy at the best time, and dies at the worst. A superstition has developed around it, that as long as the wielder keeps faith, the weapon will work. in actuality, its a really strong sword thats broken and the tech marines dont know how to fix it.

Maybe you can take that approach, that most relics are weapons/items of office and titles, with one or two that have a superstition around them. an example, a +1 attack weapon. wielders believe that it makes them more ferocious in battle, but in actuality its their own motivation and skill that is trying to live up to the legend of the weapon, which fulfills the superstition. 

[Commissar Molotov]

What are your next plans, Hasoroth?

[Brother Lunkhead]

Congrats on the great work you've done on the White Towers Making your chapter so practical and utilitarian lends itself well to a great variety in structure, missions, and overall adventuring and story telling.

 

I'm curious about your decision to convert the entire chapter to Primaris. Considering the high mortality rate of the Calgarian Rites, is there any particular incident or reason that compels the Chapter Master to make such a bold and risky move?

[Hasoroth]

i really like the concept of the white towers. i like the idea of  the official name, and the common name.

 

my suggestion on the relics:

 

I'll probably end up taking your approach on the relics and use it as an explanation for why some of my Primaris marines are using normal Marine bits (oh this is a relic MkIV helmet etc etc).

 

What are your next plans, Hasoroth?

 

Right now just painting. I'm travelling for work for the next three months and when I return to the States I need to look for an apartment, so won't be doing any large scale army building. Just finished a command squad (minus bases), gonna finish up the 5th Company Captain and I'll be done.

 

In terms of lore, gonna write out names, maybe write out a few battles, and then tidy up the IA article (maybe make a PDF).

 

Congrats on the great work you've done on the White Towers Making your chapter so practical and utilitarian lends itself well to a great variety in structure, missions, and overall adventuring and story telling.

 

I'm curious about your decision to convert the entire chapter to Primaris. Considering the high mortality rate of the Calgarian Rites, is there any particular incident or reason that compels the Chapter Master to make such a bold and risky move?

 

Three reasons.

 

1) Meta. I like (some of) the Primaris models and it's an open secret that GW is only going to make Primaris models from now on. 

2) Efficiency. Rolling out the Calgarian Rites in phases made it easier for the Chapter to absorb casualties from the process, and having a mass Primaris force leads to better efficiency in combat.

3) Ruthlessness. I really want to go into more detail about my Chapter Master, but let's just say it's not a coincidence that certain members of the Chapter that he had issues with died during the surgery.

 

The Chapter Master is someone I really want to tackle, but he's one of the most important parts of the Chapter's character so I want to do him right.

 

Imagine Havelock Vetinari in Power Armor. Someone who through assassination, manipulation, charisma, and sheer intelligence has kept a tiny sub-sector together in the aftermath of the Great Rift.

 

I want a sense of ambiguity as to whether his ruthlessness comes from a purely utilitarian mindset, or whether he's gone off the deep end into paranoia (or maybe he wants you to think he's paranoid). 

 

I also like the idea of a Chapter Master who isn't some warrior god, but rather a fantastic strategist. Like seriously, on the battlefield his stats would be best represented as an Intercessor, not even an Intercessor Sergeant.

 

---

 

Before I forget here's some pictures:

 

 

 

We've got an unnamed ancient with a suitably unadorned banner (wanted to make something that looked like a Roman banner), Company Champion, Apothecary, and two random Infiltrators.

[Brother Lunkhead]

Very good explanation.

 

Ruthlessness..... I like ruthlessness

[Hasoroth]

Part of the White Towers are going on break, I've decided I really want to wait for GW to finish releasing the Primaris line before I continue with buying anything. Another part of it is I can't really decide on one color scheme or aesthetic yet. That being said the writing will continue.